Top comb



J. 8. DUDLEY jan. 24, 3956 TOP COMB Filed Nov. 25, 1952 gwuc/nto'c- John J Dudley United States Patent TOP CONE John S. Dudley, Douglas, Mass, assignor to Wlritin Machine Works, Whitinsville, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 25, 1952, Serial No. 322,471

3 Claims. (Cl. 19-116) This invention relates to Heilmann type combers and has for its primary objective the reduction of the number of neps remaining in a combed sliver.

In the usual combing operation, up to approximately 70% of the neps are removed by the combined action of the half lap and top comb and it has been found that the majority of the neps remaining lie in an uncombed zone following the combing by the half lap and before the combing by the top comb. By the present invention, a more effective combing action is achieved and the number of neps remaining after combing is minimized.

For purposes of illustration, the preferred form of top comb according to the invention is shown applied to a comber of the kind disclosed in Patent No. 2,572,122, Fig. l of the accompanying drawings being a broken-out, partially sectioned view of a part of the comber with the top comb of the present invention and Fig. 2 an enlarged view illustrating the relationship of the comb to the detaching rolls.

As usual, the top comb, generally designated 1, is adapted for movement toward and from the detaching rolls 2, 3. The details of the mounting of the top comb and the mechanism by which it is operated forming no part of the invention, it will be sufiicient for present purposes to identify the comb-supporting nipper frame 4, nipper knife 5, cushion plate 6, wag shaft crank 7, wag shaft 8 and comb cylinder 9. In this particular comber, as described in detail in the aforesaid patent, the nipper frame, moved back and forth by the wag shaft crank, is constrained to move in an arcuate path by a radius arm 10 mounted on a fixed pivot at its lower end (not shown). In both figures of the drawings, the nipper frame and hence the top comb are shown in their forward position, that is, at their point of closest approach to the detaching rolls.

The comb 1 consists of the usual plate or body portion to which the needles 11 are secured. As illustrated, however, the depending free ends of the needles reach well toward the bite of the rolls 2, 3, terminating on the roll side of a line tangent to these rolls when the comb is in its forward position.

In this preferred form, the comb plate or body portion is reversely bent at its lower end, having a forwardly bent portion 12 and a short, downwardly bent portion 13, these two portions forming an angular needle seat on the lower or rearward side of the comb plate. As will be noted, the efiEect is to materially extend the lower end 2,731,677 Patented Jan. 24, 1956 ice of the comb plate into the space between the detaching rolls.

The needles themselves are similarly bent, so as to fit the angular seat between the comb plate portions 12, 13 and are soldered in place as indicated at 14. As will be understood, the surplus solder is removed after the needles have been secured in place.

By means of the foregoing arrangement, it will be seen that the entire depending portion of the needles lies wholly on the roll side of the roll tangent line, whereby an effective combing action of all of the fibres throughout their length is secured, resulting in a cleaner fiber and, hence, a cleaner fabric.

By forming the comb plate in the preferred form illustrated and by mounting the needles on the side of the plate remote from the rolls, the comb can be advanced into close proximity to the top roll without fear of damaging its surface. While a slight clearance between the top comb and the top roll is desirable, say of the order of him, it is found that the smooth forward face of the comb plate does not mar the roll surface even should contact occur.

In the light of the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, the following is claimed:

1. In a comber, the combination with upper and lower detaching rolls, of a top comb having a depending body portion and a lower end portion bent forwardly of the plane of the body portion and then downwardly to form an angular needle seat on the lower side of the said lower end portion; angularly bent needles located in and secured to the said seat; the depending ends of the needles lying wholly on the roll side of the plane of the comb body portion and, when the comb is in its forward position, on the roll side of a line tangent to the said rolls.

2. In a comber, the combination with upper and lower detaching rolls, of a top comb having a depending body portion and a lower end portion bent forwardly of the plane of the body portion; angularly bent needles seated against and secured to the said forwardly bent portion; the depending ends of the needles lying wholly on the roll side of the plane of the comb body portion and, when the comb is in its forward position, on the roll side of a line tangent to the said rolls.

3. In a comber, the combination with upper and lower detaching rolls, of a top comb having a depending body portion and a lower end portion bent forwardly of the plane of the body portion; needles seated against and secured to the said forwardly bent portion; the depending ends of the needles lying wholly on the roll side of the plane of the comb body portion and, when the comb is in its forward position, on the roll side of a line tangent to the said rolls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,551,840 Nasmith Sept. 1, 1925 1,866,901 Nasmith July 12, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,501 Great Britain of 1909 23,458 Great Britain of 1910 

